Hamilton County Coroner’s Office, University of Indiana at Indianapolis, and the FBI Team with Othram to Identify a 1996 Homicide Victim

After nearly three decades, a man whose remains were discovered at Fox Hollow Farm in Westfield, Indiana, has been identified as 31-year-old Jeffrey A. Jones, missing since 1993.
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Published May 21 by Michael Vogen
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Summary

In 1996, the partial skeletal remains of multiple unidentified individuals were discovered at Fox Hollow Farm in Westfield, Indiana, north of Indianapolis. Fox Hollow Farm is an 18 acre farm and the former home of alleged serial killer Herb Baumeister. Investigators recovered thousands of burnt and crushed skeletal remains belonging to as many as twelve different people at the residence. It is believed that the remains belonged to men who were killed by Baumeister. No identifying information was available for the men and their identities have remained a mystery for decades.

With a need to identify these victims, Hamilton County Coroner Jeff Jellison launched a renewed investigation in hopes of identifying the remains recovered at Fox Hollow Farm. To do so, the Hamilton County Coroner's Office collaborated with the University of Indiana at Indianapolis to submit forensic evidence to Othram for advanced DNA testing.

In 2023, Othram received forensic evidence belonging to one of the victims. Othram scientists developed a comprehensive DNA profile for the unknown man using Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing®. After successfully completing the process, the DNA profile was delivered to the FBI's forensic genetic genealogy team and the FBI team performed the necessary genealogical research to generate new investigative leads in the case.

Using this new information, a follow-up investigation led investigators to potential relatives of the man, who is now known to be Jeffrey A. Jones of Fillmore, Indiana. Jones was reported missing in August 1993. Jones’ remains are the third to be identified from Coroner Jellison’s renewed investigation into the remains recovered at Fox Hollow Farm. According to Jellison, investigators have four additional DNA profiles that have not yet been identified, bringing the total number of victims to twelve.

The identification of Jeffrey A. Jones represents the seventh case in the State of Indiana where officials have publicly identified an individual using technology developed by Othram. Most recently in Marion County, Randy Carl Lee, whose body was found in a wooded area behind an Indianapolis neighborhood, was identified in 2023.

Help fund another case Your contributions pay for lab supplies and research tools

Michael Vogen

Michael Vogen

Director of Case Management

2829 Technology Forest Blvd Suite 100, The Woodlands, Texas 77381
media@othram.com

Michael works with law enforcement agencies throughout the United States and Canada on “unsolvable“ cases that can benefit from advanced DNA testing methods. He helps these agencies use cutting edge DNA sequencing and new forensic techniques to develop investigative leads for their cases.

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About Othram Inc.

Othram is the world’s first private DNA laboratory built specifically to apply the power of modern parallel sequencing to forensic evidence. Othram’s scientists are experts at ... Read morerecovery, enrichment, and analysis of human DNA from trace quantities of degraded or contaminated materials. Founded in 2018, and located in The Woodlands, Texas, our team works with academic researchers, forensic scientists, medical examiners, and law enforcement agencies to achieve results when other approaches have failed. Follow Othram on Twitter @OthramTech or visit Othram.com to learn how we can help you with your case. With dnasolves.com anyone can make a difference and help solve the next cold case.